ABILITIES Synonyms: 52 Similar and Opposite Words

abilities

noun

plural of ability

as in capabilities

the physical or mental power to do something as a result of the accident the once-vigorous athlete lost the ability to walk

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of abilities Sky and Morgan absolutely tore the house down in the show-opening match of SummerSlam Saturday, which is a testament to WWE’s belief in their abilities. — Blake Oestriecher, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026 Peter begins to develop new abilities thanks to a spike in arachnid hormones. — Eliana Dockterman, Time, 31 July 2026 Add effects like fire or electric damage to your attacks, slot in new projectile or melee weapons, or even pick up active abilities to fill out your kit. — ArsTechnica, 31 July 2026 The competition series featured masters of shamanism, tarot, face and foot reading, saju and other divination disciplines competing in challenges that tested their abilities, using tools including fans, bells, dowsing rods and modern-day laptops. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 30 July 2026 The games introduce new mechanics, such as the ability for Pokemon to Terastallize to gain extra abilities. — Bestreviews, Mercury News, 30 July 2026 This kind of research involves experimenting with viruses and other pathogens in ways that give them new abilities. — Ari Daniel, NPR, 29 July 2026 On the customer side, homeowners need to understand their vehicles’ abilities and how to self-manage their system. — Alexa St. John, Fortune, 23 July 2026 This investment in hand movement takes raccoon learning abilities to the next level – explaining why Toronto paid roughly US$24 million to develop raccoon-proof trash bins. — Kelly Lambert, The Conversation, 23 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for abilities

Noun

Those capabilities develop through sustained investment in the cognitive and psychological dimensions of leadership—an investment most organizations classify as optional, or defer in favor of more measurable training outputs.

— Cindy Rodriguez Constable, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
Chinese institutions have the capabilities and are doing cutting edge work, said Huang.

— Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 31 July 2026

Definition of capabilities

Noun

Just across the sea lie North Korea, China and Russia, which all have powerful spying capacities that Japan isn’t fully equipped to fend off.

— Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 31 July 2026
Villalobos, who has worked in the district in various capacities for 32 years, was previously the principal of Miami Springs Senior High School — one of the institutions that the district is combining with a nearby campus due to under-enrollment.

— Sarah Perkel, USA Today, 30 July 2026

Definition of capacities

Noun

How much should be invested in learning, experimentation and the skills the business will require next?

— Nirit Cohen, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
Some of the fastest-growing skills are in areas like agentic AI, responsible AI and AI infrastructure, according to tech workplace platform Dice.

— Jason Ma, Fortune, 2 Aug. 2026

Definition of skills

Noun

McCollum’s show in Bridgeport this week features two up-and-coming country talents, singer/songwriter Kassi Ashton and singer Gabby Barrett.

— Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 1 Aug. 2026
Once an off-ramp for those players in need of a second chance, the transfer portal is now an opportunity for high-earning talents to take in even more.

— Nick Baumgardner, New York Times, 31 July 2026

Definition of talents

Noun

For this class, the premise is that your purpose in life lies to the intersection of your values, your aptitudes and your interests.

— Dana Taylor, USA Today, 6 May 2026
This model reflects Japan’s long-standing corporate culture, which prioritizes new hires for their general potential—their aptitudes and aspirations, as opposed to their current skill sets or university majors—and then trains them on the job.

— GRACIA LIU-FARRER, Foreign Affairs, 18 Nov. 2025

Definition of aptitudes

Noun

Use it to generate a standardized set of interview questions tied directly to the competencies the role requires.

— Aytekin Tank, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026
Do the activities encourage time spent interacting with others online, which can help young people develop important skills and competencies?

— Gabriel E. Hales, The Conversation, 17 July 2026

Definition of competencies

Browse Nearby Words

abigails

abilities

ability

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Abilities.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abilities. Accessed 4 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of abilities

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on abilities

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

élan

Popular in Grammar & Usage

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

Popular in Wordplay

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

How long is a jiffy?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

Popular

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Games & Quizzes